Apparatus for



Sept. 6.,"1932. G, BABCOCK 5 1,875,4101` APPARAIIUS FORIM?PI.YI[N}y SIGN CHARACTERS- Filed Dec. 1e, 1930 WMM PatentedSept. 6,191'52` j UNITED,` STATES GEORGE H. BABCOCK, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, Alsarelwony 'xiortenzmnl` DECAIAQMANIA COMPANY, OF CHICAGQILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS l.

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING SIGN CHARACTERS Application med December'ia, raso. serial No. 502,826. i

5i means for positioning the individual sign units in a desired way, for uniting all such units, when so positioned, for convenient han-` dling, and for transferring the several units so united to the sign field to which they are 10 affixed for permanent display. It is With a CII.

view to simplifying and expediting the means and method described, that the present invention has been devised.

In the accompanying drawing I have illus-` trated inj Figure 1 a perspective view of an apparatus wherein a number of sign characters may be arranged preliminary to application uponr a. sign field;

Fig. 2 a plan view thereof showing the clamp brought to engagingposition upon the base;

Fig. 3 a similar view showing the clamp moved away from the base and the individual sign characters joined by a connecting strip;

Fig. 4 an enlarged transverse section on line 4 of Fig. 2 showing the position of the clamp with respect to the sign characters when aligned upon the base; and

Fig. 5 a 'view in elevation showing the connected sign characters in th-e act of being applied to the field to which they are transferred.

For convenient handling of individual sign characters, whether of the decalcomania type, Or otherwise, such as represented by the units a, I), c and d, I provide a base B withwhich is associated a clamp C. As shown, the base and clamp are each in the form of a board or plate, the one being hinged to the other as at 6. The clamp is somewhat narrower than the base so as to leave uncovered a portion of the latter along one of its edges (see Fig. 4) to Which is secured a gauge? having its upper edge extended slightly above the surface of the base. If desired, the front face ofthe gauge may carry spacing marks, such asthe usual scale, as shown in Fig. 1.

The clamp is desirably reinforced along its free edge by a metal plate 8 to prevent endwise warping from a' straightline. Adjacent its. freeY edge, and upon its 'face 'which confrontsthe base, is mounted a: cushion;v 9 of rubber', felt7 or the like- To. hold the clamp upon the basewith pressure, I provide `some sort-of securing(lr-vicesv 10,: one arranged preferably at each end of thel base. Asshown,

shown Ibest in Fig`.2.

In the use; of this apparatus a plurality of sign charactersa, b, @,d', etc., are laid upon the pbase and brought `to positions againstr the gauge by which they are aligned. The characters arethereupon spaced apart. a suitable distance, accordi-ng, to the. spread desired. The clamp is then moved to press the cushion 9 upon theseveral characters, leaving exposed a portion of the Asurface of each adjacent the gauge. To safeguard against shifting of any of the characters from their finally adjusted position on the base, the cam hooks 10 are brought to engaging position over the clamp to exert a pressure thereupon. A strip s is next laid over the several Characters, being disposed over the exposed portions thereof. This strip may conveniently consist of a gummed paper ribbon which, when applied to the characters, is adhered thereto to join them in unitary relation. In the case of decalcomania characters, the strip is adhered to the paper back forming the vehicle for such a sign character. At this stage of the operation, the clamp is removed and the several characters are transferred to the intended sign field 15, as shown in Fig. A5, where the operator, preliminary to their liberation from the connecting strip, arranges them symmetrically or otherwise as an incident to their application to the sign field.

By the apparatus and method of this invention it is possible to prearrange in a very simple manner a series of characters preliminary to their transfer to and application upon a sign field. In requires little or no skill on the part of the operator to align and space unitary handling with a connecting strip,

leach `of these securing devices' may be inthe form of a pivoted hooklwith a `cam face. 11

adapted' to overlie and engage with a friction Yplate 12, extended across3 the clamp end, as

thereafter in one operation to locate the several characters symmetrically with respect to the sign field, and then to free them for aliixation upon the field. The advantages of my invention reside largely in the simplicity of the apparatus used, the ease with Whichthe several operations may be performed, and the satisfactory results that are attainable by the users irrespective of any previous experience noted. Y I claim:

1. An apparatus 'for handling4 transfer characters comprising a base having a gauge Whereon slgn characters may be allgned, a

f clamp connected for movement with the base, f `and a cushion on the clamp so disposed as to Iengage with portions of the sign characters :remote from the gauge, permitting thek application to other portions of the characters of a jcommon connecting means to unite them toy A 2. An Vapparatus .for handling transfer characters comprising a base having a gauge 'Whereon sign characters may be aligned, a

clamp hinged tothe base, a cushion strip carried by the clamp and sodispos'edrelative to l "the, base as to engage with the characters -thereonat points remote from the gauge, per- Y' mittingrthe application to other portions of the characters of a common connecting means,

andy securing means for exerting pressure on the clamp when engaged With'the'base.

GEORGE H. BABCOGK. 

